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NEWSLETTER May, 2013

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox A Parish of the in America Archpriest John Udics, Rector Mark Bohush 305 Main Road, Herkimer, New York, 13350 Parish Web Page: www.cnyorthodoxchurch.org

CHRIST IS RISEN! ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕСЕ! ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter, May 2013

Parish Contact Information Clergy: Archpriest John Udics, Rector: (315) 866-3272 – [email protected] Deacon Mark Bohush – [email protected] Council President and Cemetery Director: John Ciko: (315) 866-5825 – [email protected] Council Secretary: Demetrios Richards (315) 865-5382 – [email protected] Sisterhood President: Rebecca Hawranick: (315) 822-6517 – [email protected]

Birthdays in May 3 – Olga Hubiak 15 – Helen Gachowski 5 – Eva Ignafol 16 – Natalie Ptasznik 5 – Samantha Kinzey 26 – Samuel Kinzey 6 – Sandra Brelinsky 27 – John Kowansky 12 – Melissa Leigh 30 – Nancy Richards 13 – Susan Moore 31 – Anastasia Hawranick

Memory Eternal 2 - Helen Nanoski 15 - Edmund Mamrosch Sr (1994) 2 - Paul Nadiak (1975) 16 - Panos Jarosz (1981) 2 - Anna Corman (2001) 16 - Mary Boguski (1983) 2 - Helen Nawoski (2004) 22 - Anne Williams (1988) 4 - Leon Lepkowski (1985) 24 - Kazmir Karpowich (1978) 7 - Harry Homyk Jr (1988) 24 - John Mezick (1988) 7 - William Steckler (2007) 24 - Metro Hrynda (1995) 9 - Harry Palyga (1976) 24 - Nicholas Tynda (1996) 9 - Frank Prawlocki 28 - Walter Alexczuk (1995) 11 - Catherine Foley (2002) 29 - Anna and Wasil Prawlocki 11 - Susan Moore (2008) 29 - Walter Prawlocki 15 - Walter Senyk (1991) 31 - Mary Pupcheck (1976)

COFFEE HOUR HOSTS FOR MAY AND JUNE May 5 HOLY PASCHA June 2 Barb Daley and Cindy Sobolowski May 12 Mitch and Mary Jane Chlus June 9 Demetrios and Nancy Richards May 19 PASCHA DINNER June 16 Martha Mamrosch and Family May 26 Julie Todd and Family June 23 Becky Hawranick and Sonia Buttino June 30 Nick and Margaret Keblish

SCHEDULE OF LENTEN AND PASCHAL SERVICES, 2013

April 28 Entrance of Our Lord Into Jerusalem Divine 9:30 am May 1 HOLY WEDNESDAY Holy Unction 6:00 pm May 2 HOLY THURSDAY and 9:30 am HOLY THURSDAY of the Twelve Gospels 6:00 pm May 3 HOLY FRIDAY Vespers - Burial Service, Procession 6:00 pm May 4 Vespers and Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Blessing Baskets 4 pm

2 Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter, May 2013

May 5 HOLY PASCHA Midnight Service 11:30 pm May 6 HOLY PASCHA Matins, Divine Liturgy, Blessing Baskets midnight May 7 HOLY PASCHA Vespers 1:00 pm May 8 BRIGHT MONDAY Divine Liturgy [Procession] 9:30 am

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Questions 139 through 144 are from Church School Children 139. On , why do we walk around the church? As you know, in Church, we sometimes explain the way we do things as we act them out, or we demonstrate the actions we hear in the Gospels. The procession has the cross, the banners, the boys with their candles or torches, the fans, the plaschanitsa (winding sheet of the Lord) under which is the carrying the Book of the Gospels, followed by the and the faithful. This represents the followers of Jesus and His family taking Him to be buried in the tomb of Saint Joseph of Arimathea. The procession circles the church three times.

140. At midnight service, why did the altar boys wear a white robe before midnight? During Forgiveness Vespers at the beginning of we changed from gold to purple. At the end of Lent, during the Vesperal Divine Liturgy on Holy Saturday, at the Prokeimenon “Arise, O God and judge the earth,” we change the vestments from purple to white. The Resurrection of the Lord is announced at this Liturgy, though we don’t sing “ is Risen” until matins in the morning. So it’s only for the altar boys and the clergy to wear white vestments on Holy Saturday and Pascha. In the Early Church, Holy Saturday was the day on which the catechumens were baptized. They wore their white baptismal garments after that. And the rest of the congregation joined them in this joyful festal celebration.

141. On midnight service, why didn’t the other people walk around? At the midnight service, it’s very dark outside. Some people don’t have good eyesight and they could trip and fall walking around on the uneven ground around the church – so they stay back in the Church and help the workers place the flowers on the window sills and light candles and do other chores, as best they can. So the rest of us ‘stand in’ for them as we march around the church carrying our candles to light the way.

142. Why is Easter called Pascha? Pesach is the Jewish word for Passover, and in Greek we say Pascha. You know that Passover was the time when the Lord came to slay the Egyptians who wanted to force the Hebrews to stay in Egypt and be their slaves. This was a drastic and terrible thing. God told the Hebrews to mark their houses with blood, and to stay in their homes and eat a special meal, standing up and not sitting. In the meanwhile, the firstborn of the Egyptians were all slain by the angel of death. The Angel of the Lord passed over the houses of the Hebrews, so this feast is called Passover, or Pesach or Pascha. For us, when our Lord died on the cross, we call it the Passover of the Lord. We are not celebrating the feast of the Passover of the , but we celebrate a new and wonderful Pascha. The word Easter comes from the name of a pagan god whose was about the same time as Pascha. The Christian Pascha replaced that festival, but some people continued using the Pagan name.

143. Why do we have to eat special Easter food? 3 Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter, May 2013

We fasted from certain foods for forty days during Lent. Our diets were simplified and food was prepared in the simplest way. This reminds us of the time the Hebrews were in the desert and were fed by the Lord. We do this in order to prepare our bodies and make a place worthy for our Lord to enter in. The fast ends on Pascha, when we may return to eating the rich and fancy foods we used to eat. These foods, which we have blessed in our baskets, are special for Pascha time and are delicious. We are sometimes not used to them, so they may taste odd to us. But these were the foods our ancestors ate at this time of year. You don’t have to eat these foods, but you should at least have a taste of them in order to share in the festivities.

144. Why don’t we kneel after Easter? Kneeling is a sign of humility and we humbled ourselves during Lent for forty days. At Pascha, we have great joy because of the Resurrection of the Lord so we no longer kneel for fifty days until the feast of . This doesn’t mean we no longer have to be humble, but we can put aside the symbols of humility, like kneeling and so that we can celebrate the Great Feast in joy and light.

223. How do I find out who my patron saint is? How do I find out when my patron saint’s day is? First, check the calendar or the list of saints for saints with your same name. If your name is one which has more than one saint, for example John, you would choose among the saints for the one you like best, honor most or venerate sincerely. So you could pick between Saint John the Baptist, or Saint John the Evangelist, or Saint John the Russian or any other Saint John. If your Saint John has more than one date, you would pick the one closest to your birthday. You could also ask the priest who baptized you or ask your parents which saint they had in mind when you were named. Then you would look up on the calendar when that saint’s day is, and that would be the one for you. But – there’s no switching back and forth – the one you choose is the one you stick with. If your name is not a Christian name – that is, the name of a saint – you might do as the old time Russian did and choose a saint’s name from among those venerated on your birthday. Or, you could use your first initial and take a saint’s name with the same initial – if Frank is your name, you’d take F, and your baptismal name could be any saint whose name begins with F or Th. Russians didn’t have the letter Th, and to them, the closest sound was F. The Greeks did the same, and according to the way they heard things, someone named Jim or Jimmy would be baptized Demitrios. Or you might look at your middle name which might be a Christian name. The only restrictions are that you must be named for a saint on the calendar of saints, or a translation of that name, or a name found in Holy Scripture.

224. Now we tell people it’s good to go to Communion weekly, but in the it says, ‘Go into your closet and pray’. Isn’t it better if people don’t show off how much they love God? Matthew 6.6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Yes, it’s best if you don’t show off how much you love God. But receiving Holy Communion is not showing off, and neither is staying in the pew. Holy Communion is the way we worship God and have communion with Him. Receiving Holy Communion is our Christian duty and obligation and there’s nothing ‘show off’ about it. In other words, Jesus calls us to come and receive His Body and Blood in Holy Communion at every Liturgy. He says, “Take, eat, this is my body.” And “Drink of this, all of you, for the remission of your sins.” And when the priest brings out the Holy Communion, he 4 Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter, May 2013 announces – standing in for Jesus – “With faith, and in the fear of God, draw near!” We’re not showing off when we are obedient to Him and His call to us.

225. What can you tell us about the Western Rite of ? There’s so much to tell! The key point to remember is that "Orthodox" defines our faith, while "Eastern" is a particular expression of that faith. Thus, Orthodoxy is not necessarily "Eastern" in form and expression; there can be, and before the Great Schism there were, Western expressions of the Orthodox faith as well. The ancient Western tradition is every bit as ancient and holy as ours is – why should they have to give it up when they become Orthodox? Basically, then, Western Rite Orthodoxy accommodates the desire of Western converts to worship in the way to which they’re accustomed, with just a few adaptations to ensure that they are fully Orthodox. Even after the Christian Church was split by the schism of 1054, there were Christians in the Eastern Empire who worshipped God using the Roman style and Liturgical life. There was a Church in Constantinople, a monastery on Mount Athos, and even part of Greece itself, where the Roman liturgy was kept. of Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonika, portray the saint wearing the Western style of vestments common to that part of Greece at the time. Perhaps the first ideas about re-establishing the Western rituals in Orthodoxy were raised at the discussions of the Patriarch of Moscow with Anglican theologians in the later nineteenth century. The first group of Western Christians who returned to Orthodoxy was perhaps the Benedictine monks in Paris, who were accepted into the Orthodox Church by the Patriarchate of Romania in the 1890’s. Later, the Patriarchate of Moscow established a Western Rite parish in the Cathedral of the Patriarchate in New York City, where Mass was said in English and Spanish. That lasted only a few years. Later, beginning in the 1970s, there were groups of Western Christians who came into the Orthodox Church and were accepted by the Archdiocese of the in the United States. These included former Roman Catholics, Old Catholics, and some Protestants as well. The Antiochian Archdiocese still maintains a Western Rite Vicariate, which has about 20 parishes. There are two distinct rites approved for use there: one based on the ancient (pre-Vatican II council) Roman canon, and the second based on the 1928 American edition of the from the . Western rite are offered in the language of the people's country, and not in Russian or Arabic. However, they follow the Orthodox calendar and celebrate the Feasts with us. When a Western Christian becomes Orthodox, he or she almost always does so in the context of a local parish. If a group of people desire to be united to the Orthodox Church, it is not unusual then, for them to be received as a group, with their liturgical life intact. But for individuals, it is most common for them to be received into the local Eastern Orthodox parish. Many Orthodox hierarchs are reluctant to establish a Western rite of Orthodoxy because of the Unia, where Orthodox Christians either joined or were forced into union with the Pope of Rome. Once inside that, their "orthodoxy" is worn away by education in Latin seminaries, while Rome also modified their rituals and customs to be more palatable to Roman tastes. They became an "Eastern rite" of the Roman Church, and were often treated as second class citizens at best. A reverse "Unia" of a Western Rite in Orthodoxy would mean that we condone the idea of the Unia. For more details, see the following: “Western Rite Orthodoxy: Its History, Its Validity, And Its Opportunity” by Annette Milkovich, in the Federated Russian Orthodox Clubs’ The Russian Orthodox Journal (November, 1990). 5 Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter, May 2013

Western Rite Orthodoxy, containing: “The Significance of the Western Rite” by Rev. William Sutfin Schneirla, “The Western Rite - It’s Fascinating Past” by Rev. Alexander Turner, and “A Brief History of Western Orthodoxy” by Father David F. Abramtsov. Ukase of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, 1936. “Orthodoxy and the Western Rite” by Simeon S. Bogoslovsky, in Edinaya Tserkov - One Church, the journal of the Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Moscow in America (not dated). Russian Observations Upon the American Prayer Book, Report by Members of the Committee on Old Catholic and Anglican Questions of the Holy Synod of the , translated by Wilfrid J. Barnes, edited by Walter Howard Frere, A. R. Mowbray & Co., 1917.

209. When can we (when can’t we) get married? The Liturgical Calendar and Rubrics for the Orthodox Church in America states: When Weddings Are Not to be Celebrated On the Eves of Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year (Tuesday and Thursday evenings) On the Eves of Sundays throughout the year (Saturday evenings) On the Eves of the Twelve Great Feasts, patronal feasts of a church or monastery, and other great feasts In all of the Fasts (, Apostles’ Fast, Dormition Fast and Nativity Fast) and most Wednesdays and Fridays) From the Nativity of Christ (Dec. 25) through the Synaxis of the Baptist (Jan. 7) During the course of Cheesefare Week (from Sunday of Meatfare through the Sunday of Cheesefare) During the course of Bright Week On the Day and the Eve of the Beheading of the Baptist (Aug. 29) and the Elevation of the Cross (Sept. 14)

226. Someone told me that when King David danced in front of the Ark, he danced without clothing. If that’s true, why did he dance naked? 2 Samuel 6:1-23 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Ba'ale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abin'adab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahi'o, the sons of Abin'adab, were driving the new cart 4 with the ark of God; and Ahi'o went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the LORD with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there because he put forth his hand to the ark; and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 And David was angry because the LORD had broken forth upon Uzzah; and that place is called Pe'rez-uz'zah, to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?" 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the LORD into the city of David; but David took it aside to the house of O'bed-e'dom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the LORD remained in the house of O'bed-e'dom the Gittite three months; and the LORD blessed O'bed-e'dom and all his household. 12 And it was told King David, "The LORD has blessed the household of O'bed-e'dom and all that belongs to him, 6 Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter, May 2013

because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of O'bed-e'dom to the city of David with rejoicing; 13 and when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the horn. 16 As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place, inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts, 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people departed, each to his house. 20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' maids, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" 21 And David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD-- and I will make merry before the LORD. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes; but by the maids of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor." 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. The text says that David was not completely naked, but wore an ephod, which is a religious , either a vest – a breast-plate of cloth or a cloth apron. It was worn by the priests when they offered sacrifice and by the prophets when they prophesied. There’s some dispute as to the size of an ephod and what it actually looks like. Some envisage it as a sort of long smock. Others would say the ephod is a vest or breastplate and is more like a square of fabric with cords sewn at each of the four corners, and bound on the chest with the cords tied at the back. Some say that David’s dance was so enthusiastic and passionate that it caused his clothing to fall off in every direction. Some say it was vibrantly dignified, like the Coptic liturgical dances. In any case, it was David’s naïve and humble offering to God. He did this as the king, representing the people of God. David offered sacrifice to the Lord, offered his dancing wearing an ephod, and he blessed the people of God – we must not think he was usurping the rights and privileges of the clergy, as these had not yet been clearly defined in his day. If his wife hadn’t spied on him from her window, we might not know of David’s nakedness. Many religious people are intolerant of views which contradict the Scriptures or which contradict their idea of the meaning of Scripture. Many irreligious people are equally intolerant of those who are religious, and even more, they go after religious folk in order to taunt and mock them and their beliefs. We must remember that when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year, he did not wear any clothing at all. He had a rope tied around his ankle so that if God struck him dead (for being a sinner), the men could pull his body out of the altar without having to go in themselves. Since King David was a prophet and was anointed to be the king, he also had a ‘royal’ priesthood. Also, we remember the hymns of the Church which say that our Lord hung naked on the Cross. I don’t think anyone can say with certainty why King David chose to dance naked before the Lord. 7 Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter, May 2013

212. What is the significance of receiving the blessing of a priest or a , or anyone? And when should you get such a blessing? In Holy Scripture, we find stories of blessings given to the entire people of God by the High Priest and blessings given to individuals by Prophets and by parents. So we see that there are two types – sacramental or liturgical and personal. We must remember that the liturgical and personal blessings are not the blessings by human beings, but are the blessings of the Lord. In the Orthodox Christian Church today we see the same sorts of blessings as can be found in Scripture. Blessings are commonly sought at the beginning of any arduous task, going to war, having surgery, after . In ‘the old country’ people frequently ask the blessing of priests or or monks as they walk down the street. In church life here in the New World, this sort of respect is not so frequently seen. One priest remarked that he most often sees his parishioners asking the blessings of ‘visiting’ clergy - and almost never would the same parishioners ask for his blessing... See The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible.

213. At what age do children have to start fasting before Communion? If mom and dad are taking Communion and there’s no breakfast in the house on Sunday morning, it’s easier to teach a child the habit of not eating before Communion. Infants and children who are weak and need food should not be forced to fast before Communion. But by the time children are two or three years old, they’re already old enough for you to stop making them breakfast the days when they’re going to Communion. If you still have to bring a bottle to Church for them, or if you bring some cereal because they moan and groan, that’s up to you. But by the time a child is three or four, they already want to copy the behavior of their parents and siblings, and want to be treated like grown- ups and will fast, as we do. Just as it’s easier to get a child to take communion if it sees the parents taking communion, it’s easier to fast with a child if it sees the parents fasting. And if going to Communion is good for the child, why isn’t it good for the parent? If parents and children together prepare for Communion, there’s little fuss or complaint. Children demand to be fed when they see their parents or older brothers and sisters eat. It was a custom in pious Orthodox homes that on ‘Church mornings’ you didn’t eat, even if you weren’t going to Communion. Obviously, that custom hasn’t survived. If you don’t attend Church regularly, if you don’t fast regularly, if you don’t receive Communion regularly, why should your child think it ought to do these things?

214. Can I change godparents? No. You can no more change godparents than you can change blood relatives. If you think about it, you’ll see that there’s no way to do it – you were baptized, you entered the Church, and godparents were witnesses to that act, they sponsored you for membership in the Church. The is unalterable – so are the witnesses. In fact, the Greek word for godparent is ‘witness.’ If your godparents have fallen away from the Church, they must answer for their behavior at the Judgment Day, just like everyone else. But it becomes your duty to pray for them, to try to encourage them to return to Church by the example of your good behavior, and to continue to love them and to be a good god-child, to the best of your ability.

215. You wrote that used to, and in some places do now, distribute Holy Communion. Why was/is it the deacon? In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, we read how busy the apostles were, preaching, healing, writing to other communities, traveling, doing charitable works, and leading the prayer life of the 8 Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter, May 2013 community. As the number of Christians grew, it became more difficult for the Apostles to do everything. Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:1-7) In the writings of Saint Hippolytus, one of the earliest Christian Fathers, we read of the Liturgy at Pascha when catechumens are baptized. Before catechumens went into the water for baptism, they removed their clothing, and the deacons anointed them with the oil of exorcism. Although there was nothing scandalous about nudity in the Baptism, as public baths were the norm, and were social venues as well as places for cleanliness, remember that were celebrated in the Baptistery, a separate building attached to the Church. Deacons accompanied and anointed male catechumens into the water and deaconesses accompanied and anointed the females. When the neophytes (newly baptized) came out of the water, they were clothed in white baptismal garments, and the deacon or priest anointed them with the oil of gladness. In some early Christian texts, this oil seems to have been Holy . Then, the neophytes approached the bishop for the . The Bishop gave them Communion in the , and three deacons administered three : one of clear water (to remind them of baptism), one of the Holy Blood of our Lord (wine and water: the Blood and water which flowed from the Lord’s side), and one of milk and honey (signifying reaching the Promised Land). If the deacons are the ministers of the Baptism, which washes away the sins of those who have put on Christ, and which sacrament may not be repeated, what is more appropriate than their also being ministers of the , which washes away the sins of the world, offered daily? It seems that in the Early Church, in some places, notably in Alexandria, deacons administered both the body and the blood to the faithful, but in other places, the deacons administered the only. Remember that the deacons did not administer Communion to the clergy. It should also be noted that where deacons administer Holy Communion, they also cut the Lamb into small pieces and put them in the chalice for communion. If the deacon prepares the gifts in the proskomedia, and elevates the gifts at the time of the , and cuts them before communion, and consumes the gifts after communion, it’s logical for him to be the minister of communion to the faithful. Although it is the Deacon who distributes Holy Communion in some places here in America, this custom is not permitted in our Diocese. See Dom Gregory Dix, The Shape of the Liturgy, and James Monroe Barnett, The Deaconate.

216. I heard about a couple whose baby was stillborn and their priest refused to do the funeral service. That’s terrible! Why wouldn’t he do it? Until very recently, there was no provision for funerals and burial of those who are not baptized. There was a service for ‘inovertsi i raskolniki’ (other-believers and schismatics), which was sometimes used. This also applied/s to children who are still-born and to miscarried fetuses. The usual service for miscarried fetuses, for the still-born, for babies who die before they are baptized, and for all other non- 9 Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter, May 2013

Orthodox was to sing the Trisagion: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us!” from the home to the grave. The new service for miscarried and unbaptized babies was only added in 2002, to the new “A Small Book of Needs” published in the same year, by Saint Tikhon’s Press.

217. When Saint John the Evangelist wrote his , he only identified himself as a disciple or as ‘that disciple who Jesus loved.’ Wasn’t it a bit prideful of him to identify himself like that? Why didn’t he just say his name? You’ve got it backwards. By not naming himself, the Evangelist was practicing humility, even though everyone now knows who it is…

218. When I was a child I remember the men all sitting on the side of the Church with the of Christ, and the women all sitting on the side of the Church with the icon of the Virgin. We don’t do that anymore. But I saw that again in a Church I went to when I was on vacation. Why don’t we do that anymore? Is it necessary? We don’t do a lot of things that we used to do, and which are still proper. These things may not be necessary for salvation, but if they’ve been dignified by 2000 years of observance (and more years than that, in some cases) maybe there was a reason for it. If it isn’t being observed any more, maybe we should think about the wisdom of the ancestors, and consider carefully before we discard anything. It should be noted that in the Temple of Jerusalem, ages ago, men and women were separated during the worship services. To this day, Orthodox Jewish synagogues have segregated male/female seating during their worship services.

219. What did you mean by ‘Little Russia’ in one of the answers here? I’d never heard that before! In Russian, ‘MaloRus’ or Little Russian, is used to refer to all those Russians beyond the borders of the original Grand Duchy of Moscow, e.g. Carpatho-Russia and the Ukraine. ‘U-kraina’, in fact, means, ‘at the borders’. The Latins called this ‘Sub-Carpathian Rus’ area ‘Ruthenia’, and called the people ‘Ruthenians’ and who we call ‘Rusin’ (or ‘Rusyn’). This is common usage and is even now widely used by Carpatho-Russian people. Modern Ukrainians prefer to be called Ukrainians. Little Russia also refers to people who call themselves ‘Russian’ but who live in modern Poland, the Czech and Slovak Republics, and even in the Balkans and other Eastern European countries. ‘Little Russian’ can also be used as an adjective to describe the life, customs, music, language and so on, of the area. Peter Illych Tchaikovsky, the Russian composer, wrote his second symphony while on vacation at his sister’s home in the Ukraine. The symphony is based on many Ukrainian folk melodies. For that reason Tchaikovsky named the symphony the ‘Little Russian’ Symphony. One Church History professor informs us that the expression ‘Little Russia’ was used even in the Byzantine-Greek Empire as ‘MicroRossia’ to signify those people of Rus not living in Muscovy, which was called ‘MegaloRossia’ or ‘Great Russia’. The term is not pejorative - it’s merely descriptive. Another translation would be Russia Minor and Russia Major.

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